L.A. Girlfriend - Death & Peonies

You say you’re influenced by Iron Maiden and New Order, and you get our attention pretty quickly. You couple such a statement with a single that’s dizzying, frantic, engaging, alluring, and exciting from the first millisecond, and you get us addicted. That’s exactly what Sydney Banta, who goes by L.A. Girlfriend, did with her single “Death & Peonies.”

Produced by the artist who wears many hats, the single’s drums guide you along at the beginning, not that you necessarily need help moving though. A patient build-up for the words occurs, and heightened anticipation stays consistent with the rhythm. You’re waiting for the next layer to fall onto you, but the creation of the track itself is subtle, thoroughly thought out, and meant to smolder slowly.

Rather than exploding and fading as an afterthought, the moment keeps until the end. Banta mentioned the track is about loss and the process of letting go. Lyrically, she’s so deep in the process of trying to let go that it’s an irritating struggle to make the end a true final, both physically and emotionally.

Not to be content with merely a single, Banta also directed a video for “Death & Peonies.” Enlisting the help of cinematographer Shan Liljestrand, and starring Alysia Russo, you’re placed into a dance rehearsal studio. The video is a touching tribute to Barta’s grandmother, who was a pioneer in the aerobic training world. Russo warms herself up with focus, and synchronized perfectly, neon blues bleed into fuchsias and purples. Everything that has been building is then let out.

“Death & Peonies” is off of the REX & REGINA double EP. REX is out on March 24th, and you can pre-order it from iTunes now.